Danger in the Jungle
by Jupiter Ted
Summary: What lies in store for them? Is Esther not really what people seem to be?Will two law students give her a chance for a change of heart? Will the three friends survive? An Orphan x Far Cry 3 crossover.
1. Prologue

**Danger in the Jungle**

 **A Far Cry 3 x Orphan Fanfic**

 **Characters:**

 **Ned- a brilliant Filipino law student at Edward Le Portier International University, Average height, stocky.**

 **Belle- a Russian-American classmate of Ned, equally brilliant. Can easily be mistaken for her idol, Isabelle Fuhrman, as she is like her in every detail, in all aspects. Speaks English, French, Spanish and Russian**

 **Maggie- Belle's older sister**

 **Dennis Rogers- tribal elder of Rook Island.**

 **Jason Brody- College grad-turned-pirate-slasher**

 **Riley- Jason's younger brother**

 **Liza Snow-Jason's girlfriend**

 **Daisy, Oliver, Keith- Jason's friends**

 **Handyman**

 **Nadia-daughter of the village handyman, village beauty**

 **Aina- wife of the handyman**

 **Henry-Nadia's boyfriend**

 **Citra-the self-proclaimed Queen of the island**

 **Francis Kalakaua- leader of the Rakyat soldiers on the island**

 **James Taunui- head of the guards in Citra's palace**

 **Vaas Montenegro- psychotic leader of the pirates**

 **Hoyt- leader of the mercenaries**

 **Mr. Huntley- CIA agent in the Rook Islands**

 **Mr. and Mrs. Cruz- Ned's parents**

 **Mr. and Mrs. Hartman- Belle's parents**

 **Esther- a 33-year old woman posing as a child; a diminutive analog of Belle; presently under the care of the Grummans**

 **Mr. and Mrs. Grumman- Esther's adoptive parents; a couple with whom Esther has no interest in**

* * *

Edward Le Portier International University, The Philippines

"Hey Belle, wanna go with my family on a vacation?" quipped Ned.

"Okay, if you want to. Where?" Belle replied

"Well, somewhere in the Pacific. Maybe the Solomons, with my family's friends."

"Wow! My parents are also planning to go there too!" Belle cried out.

"What a coincidence!" Ned burst in excitement.

Little did they know of the surprises they will encounter.

* * *

Ormoc International Port, the Eastern Philippines

"Dad, stop embarrassing me in front of my friend, please?" Belle pleaded.

"Like they always say, always prepared." Her dad followed behind with a rucksack full of unnecessary things along with their clothes and provisions.

"Just understand your Dad, my sochka. He's just getting used to travelling." her mother intoned.

"Hey, Belle! So are you ready for the most epic adventure of a lifetime?" Ned yelled as he and his father cruised into the entrance pier on Segways.

"Hell yeah!" Belle exclaimed and squealed in excitement along with her sister, Maggie.

"So you must be Belle. A very good morning. My son has told me a great deal about you." Ned's father greeted Belle.

"Thank you." Belle said with a laugh.

Just as the two families shared a conversation, a little girl interrupted them.

"Hello, my name is Esther. Nice to meet you both here. I hope we can be best friends." she greeted with a curtsy.

"Aww...she's so adorable when she's polite." Her adoptive mother commented.

"Very true..." Belle replied.

As they boarded the luxury liner, they were greeted by a band playing a folk tune, speaking of the uncertainty of life, a harbinger for days to come.

* * *

Three days later, The Solomon Islands.

"Alright, let's head to this platform here, ladies and gentlemen. We are about to begin the tour." The tour guide signaled everyone for the commencement of the tour.

"A'ight, let's go and find us something interesting to do." Ned called out to his friends Belle and Esther.

"I agree." Esther said as she ran off from the group.

"Hey, come back here! You'll get lost!" Belle warned the little girl.

"I'll get your daughter." Ned assured her father.

"Okay, but come back before 5, okay?" Mr. Grumman instructed.

Little did they know that it will take them 10 months to rejoin their families.

* * *

Esther, Belle and Ned ran a considerable distance from the group. At this distance they actually reached a seedy, forested part of the islands. Suddenly they spotted two men in red carrying assault rifles.

"Get down, now!" Ned whispered to the girls to crouch down behind the rocks.

Out of impulse, Esther crawled steadily into the big patrol boat, apparently owned by the pirates, without Belle and Ned noticing.

"Hello." Esther quietly mouthed out the words as she waved her hands.

"Come back here, you troublesome gremlin." Belle and Ned were already fuming with exasperated anger. They followed Esther into the boat.

When the boat started, the three hid themselves in a pile of crates containing guns. They were contemplating on what they will be experiencing...

A nightmare or a sweet dream?


	2. A Dangerous Paradise

Chapter 1 - A Dangerous Paradise

14 Hours later...

It was morning, and Ned was the first to wake up. He noticed that the two men in red driving the large boat were resting and found out that they were dead. On one of the bodies he found a note. It said:

 **You're welcome for the favor I did for you. Send my hugs to the cute little girl with you.**

 **Sincerely, Jason**

"Who was Jason?" Ned thought, "I have got to thank this dude for managing to kill them without waking our beauty rest."

After discarding the note, Jason went and woke Belle and Esther up.

"Hey Esther, wake up. Hey, sorry for calling you a gremlin. I hope you didn't take it very hard."

"It's okay, guys. No offence taken." Esther said while rubbing her eyes.

The three landed in a place filled with flotsam and gas cans. Ned looked at the signboard and saw the name "Welshore Wrecker's House" on the top, and ascertained that it was the name of this place.

Suddenly a strange man in fake glasses appeared.

"Good morning, new warriors. I am Dennis Rogers." the man introduced himself.

"Warriors?" Belle objected, "Oh, no. When I look like Clove from The Hunger Games doesn't mean that we're warriors."

"Look at your arms, and you will see." Dennis instructed.

The three looked at their arms and were surprised to see tattoos on their left arms.

"You, young man, have the spirit of the heron." Dennis turned to Ned. "You are always keen of your surroundings. You prefer to use long-term solutions to problems."

"You, young woman, have the spirit of the shark." Dennis then turned to Belle. "You have the power to crush foes with the flick of a finger, but you also have the ability to nurse people to health."

"And as for you," Dennis finally crouched down in front of Esther. "You have the spirit of a spider. You use silence as your weapon. You are inquisitive and willing to learn new things. You have the soul of a grown woman, but sadly trapped in a child's body. You yearn for your other half, for love, but you have failed many times. But weep not. You succeed. Here."

"Esther, is that true? Are you a grown woman?" Ned and Belle asked tearfully.

"I'm sorry I lied to you guys!" Esther then broke into tears as she ran to embrace them.

"Well that was a tearjerker..." One of the Rakyat soldiers quipped.

"Love is so beautiful, yet so sad." A native passing by also broke into tears.

" _Fa'afine_..." whispered the soldier. Fa'afine is the Polynesian term for an effeminate man.

"Let us not shed anymore tears, for we must now shed blood." Dennis announced to stop the melodrama that ensued. "Jason has prepared a breakfast for you back in Amanaki Town."

"Promise you won't tell anyone about our secret. Okay? I'll be your 'little sister'."

"A scout's honor." Ned and Belle intoned while making a three-finger salute over their heart.

The three then vowed to never leave each other behind.

* * *

A few minutes later, Amanaki Town

"Good to see you. My name is Jason Brody. You must be hungry. Let's grab some chow." Jason greeted the three and ushered them into the table.

The table was full of food, not quite what you expect from an island suffering from a civil war. There was chicken soup, pan-roasted pork, steamed rice flavored with pandan leaves, vegetables, local desserts, and freshly-squeezed fruit juice. Everyone sat down to eat and noticed that there was actually complete tableware.

"Mr. Brody, you shouldn't have." Esther politely answered.

* * *

Two hours later, Amanaki Outpost

"Okay guys, I have different weapons laid on the table." Jason pointed at the table. There was an M14 rifle with a scope, a Spectre submachinegun, an M16 rifle with a bayonet, two machetes, a set of throwing knives, six grenades and plastique explosives.

"I'll take this one." Ned picked up the M14, "I can handle this gun's recoil. I trained with this rifle when I was in ROTC." True, Ned did train with an M14 and qualified the course with the weapon. He can even make a tight grouping of shots in full-auto bursts. His parents always saw to that, and he leisurely agreed with them.

"I'll take the Spectre." Esther grabbed the small gun. "Even if I am an actual adult, I still have a body of a small child. I don't want to be thrown off by the recoil."

"That leaves me no other choice," Belle picked up the M16, and was surprised to see that it be attached with more than just a bayonet. "Maybe I can attach a suppresor and slap on a grenade launcher?"

"Then you have to remove the bayonet," Jason intoned. "Okay, now let's start with the basics. Esther, shoot the targets with your submachinegun. Do this while walking."

"Okay," Esther nodded, and proceeded to pepper the wooden targets with the walking fire technique.

"Okay, Belle you're next. Shoot the targets when they pop up. Remember to aim down the sights."

Belle then proceeded to shoot the targets. Amazingly, she had wonderful reflexes, and can handle well under pressure.

"You're next Ned." Jason pointed at the herd of deer grazing near the river. "You have to aim at the head."

Ned then assumed the standard sitting position used by hunters. He shot the deer and hit them in the eye with surgical precision that the animals died instantly.

"Now, pick up a grenade. Throw them into the fleet of boats on the river."

Ned picked up the grenade. Belle followed suit but Ned blocked her. "Hand grenades are very dangerous and can only be handled with very trained hands. Just stick to the M203. Okay?"

"Yes, mom." Belle replied with disappointment.

Ned threw the hand grenade into the fleet of wooden boats and once it exploded, it turned into a floating mess of wood.

"Last of all, you need to know how to set up explosives." Jason instructed. "Plant them on that useless vehicle over there. Then get back here and find some cover. We will wait over here by this concrete wall." Jason and the two walked into the concrete pigsty while Esther planted the explosives on the dilapidated Darrah. She then ran into the pigsty but slipped into the stinking mud. "Well, at least I didn't die." Esther thought.

"Belle, would you do the honors?" Jason handed to Belle the detonator.

She pressed the red button after warning the surrounding area. The car blew up so ferociously that Jason was surprised himself. "Must have been a full tank of gas." Ned commented.

"Okay, your training is complete. Let's get back to the village and scrub up. Especially you, Esther." Jason said with a smile on his face.

"Yeah, I smell like pigshit." Esther agreed.

* * *

Many minutes later, Amanaki Town

"Mr. Brody, may I lock the door when I wash up? I'll just sing aloud to let you know I'm okay." Esther asked politely.

"Sure." Jason agreed.

A moment later, Esther can be heard singing aloud her favorite song, "The Glory of Love":

 _You've got to give a little, take a little,_

 _and let your poor heart break a little._

 _That's the story of, that's the glory of love._

 _You've got to laugh a little, cry a little,_

 _until the clouds roll by a little._

 _That's the story of, that's the glory of love._

 _As long as there's the two of us,_

 _we've got the world and all it's charms._

 _And when the world is through with us,_

 _we've got each other's arms._

 _You've got to win a little, lose a little,_

 _yes, and always have the blues a little._

 _That's the story of, that's the glory of love._

 _That's the story of, that's the glory of love._

Not far from their safehouse, a young lad named Henry listened to the sad, wonderful song, and actually understood the meaning. He himself had his heart set on the village beauty Nadia, whose parents did not approve of their relationship. He wanted to run away with her, of course. But something twisted in his mind made him realize that there is only one way to end their sorrow.

Suicide.

* * *

Midday, Amanaki Town

"Friends, neighbors, Our neighbor Aunt Tala and her husband have been mauled by black bears! Somebody must kill those black bears, before they will terrorize the whole village." cried the village handyman.

"We'll do it." Ned and Jason said in unison.

"Belle, Esther, stay here. I will call you if we succeed in hunting down the bears." Jason said.

"Yes sir." Esther said with a salute. "Alright. I'll start the truck as soon as you give the signal." Belle assured.

"Jason, we may need more ammunition for our guns. Your pistol won't cut it." Ned suggested.

"I agree. I'll pick up my shotgun back at the safehouse. Loaded with slugs, no less. We can trade those pelts for your combat wear and the grenade launcher and suppressor for Belle's M16. She definitely loves her rifle." Jason said in agreement.

"Not to mention the bounty of 400 dollars, and the bear meat can be sold on the wet market for a hefty price!" Ned glowed with excitement.

"And bragging rights, no less." Jason added.

After preparing for the hunt, the duo set off, Ned with his rifle, and Jason with his shotgun.

* * *

Inside the Bear Cave, 1:00 PM

Jason, being the more experienced one, went in first with the shotgun. They were following the bear prints on the ground, when suddenly, without warning, four bears came at them. They were monstrous creatures, at six feet four they can incapacitate a strong man with only one swipe. Jason and Ned lashed at the bears with their guns and machetes with Herculean spirit. After killing the last bear, Ned saw a chest and opened it. There was a blood diamond, 25 dollars, and 3 magazines for Esther's Specter. After collecting all the stuff from the chest and picking up the loose change on the cave floor (Really?), Jason and Ned called the two girls to bring the truck.

"I really need to step on the bath, 'cause I am drenched in blood." Ned said in utter disgust.

And the gang went back to the village. With their trophies, of course.


	3. Wherefore Art Thou, Juliet?

Chapter 2- Wherefore Art Thou, Juliet

3:30, Amanaki Town

Henry loaded his pistol, a Georgian-made 6P9 Makarov pistol, and hid it discreetly behind his back. Afterwards he paid Nadia a visit, coaxing her to run away with him, away from the village life, to start their own.

"I don't know, it might be dangerous." Nadia was hesitant.

"Just go with me, I'll protect you. We will start over." Henry persuaded Nadia.

"But what about my pa-" Nadia hesitated, but to no avail.

"Damn your parents! They wouldn't allow us near each other! And You want to stay! Is that it?!" Henry fumed, but then continued with a terse recant, "Alright, if that's what you want..."

"Alright, I will go with you." Nadia swayed. For a girl with her looks and age, being already 17, she behaved like a child.

But they weren't the only ones alone. Aina, the village handyman, and Esther eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Bastard. What a pervert! And he even dares to court the village beauty."Esther gritted her teeth in rage. "Curses to him,and may he be eaten by demons, but God save the poor girl. If only we could switch bodies, I'll give him a beating he will never forget!" If there is anything Esther is great at, other than butchering people, is making curses. Effective ones.

"I admire your nobility, Esther, but we must be careful. He is armed." Aina intoned a warning.

"Armed or not, he deserves to die. No girl should go through what I went through." Esther said with a look of rage. True, her relationships with men were tumultuous, and in fact, many innocent victims died as a result. But she now had a change of heart, and was determined to complete her ultimate quest: to find true love.

"Don't talk like that. He has connections with the Rakyat rebel leaders." the handyman then warned.

"Bah, that motherf***er needs to die!" Esther spat on the ground, as if to spit at Henry.

"The best thing to do is wait." Aina assured.

And so they waited.

* * *

The Safehouse, Amanaki Town

"Hey, got the M203 I promised, as well as the suppressors for your and Esther's guns. And some optics too! They got a very good discount for the EOTech sights! I even customized my rifle with a bipod and thread for yet another suppressor. Lasers too." Ned beamed in delight.

"And the clothes?" Belle inquired.

"They're here too. And with a discount no less." Ned handed her the box of military uniforms.

Ned's outfit was an Army tiger-stripe camo jacket and pants, balaclava and Magnum boots. Belle had a similar outfit but with a black baseball cap instead of the balaclava. Esther's small outfit was composed of a tuque for headgear, a military turtleneck, utility jacket and belt to not only serve as tactical pockets but also to hide her womanly developments, her breasts and hips. All three wore military gloves.

"From Bo Peep to GI Jane!, still adorable." Ned commented as he admired her outfit. Belle also liked how she looked.

"Guys, trouble." Jason called their attention.

* * *

"We need to rescue the girl, Nadia." Jason said

"I knew it. That _ebard_ took her away." Esther fumed

"Okay let's grab our weapons and skedaddle before it's too late." Ned instructed

"Let's get to the Stryus."

* * *

After barreling through the bridge at no time,they heard gunshots and headed to where it came from. The three, except Ned, went out of the car and were facing a huge swarm of Komodo dragons. Belle prepped her launcher and rifle, while Ned assumed a sniping position.

Gunfire rattled through the jungle as Nadia climbed up the rocks. After the last of the reptiles were finished, Jason talked to Nadia. While they were talking, the three were joking about the faces of the Komodo dragons when they were shot.

Esther then approached Nadia and gave her advice. "You should never let any guy try to make you do things you don't want to do. Don't let them rule you, okay?"

"I'll never forget." Nadia smiled.

* * *

"Well, mission accomplished, guys. You did a great job back there." Jason encouraged the three.

"Hell yeah!" Ned shouted.

"The reward money will be given to us by tomorrow morning." Jason assured, "For now, get some shut-eye. We will be raiding an outpost tomorrow. Get your guns cleaned and your body armor zipped up tomorrow, okay?"

"Yes, sir." The three saluted.

* * *

"Hey, guys. I have a question." Esther asked the two. "Is it okay for a person to actually have feelings for two people? Let's say a girl likes a boy and she also likes a girl who also likes the boy. What do you say?"

"I'm confused. What are you trying to say, actually?" Belle was puzzled by her question.

Esther let out a sigh, "I have a secret to tell you."

Ned now finally caught up with the discussion. "Oh, now I get it. you're hitting on us. Is that right?"

Esther slipped beside Belle and Ned, who were beside each other. "I like you both." Esther whispered to them.

Esther then turned to Belle and went so close to her that they felt each other's breath. "Close your eyes. I will take care of you both." whispered Esther. She pressed her lips to Belle's, and kissed each other so passionately that Ned was having a hard time deciding on whom to kiss first.

Belle was on fire, and decided that she should share her flame with Ned. Not so long ago, in law school, the two always shared love notes hidden in their lockers. In fact they were being razzed about by Maggie for being so "perfectly adorable"

Esther then turned to Ned, and kissed him with the same passion as with Belle. Ned hesitated for a moment, but then gave in to temptation.

"So, do you want to have an orgy?" Esther cooed at them

"Me first!" Belle tore open her shirt, and proceeded to take off Ned's. Esther lay beside him, French-kissing him with a fiery passion as hot as Hell itself. Belle and Ned's lovemaking was so passionate, that Esther was excited as she anticipated her turn.

Belle's orgasm was ebbing when Esther replaced her on top of Ned. Although having the body structure of a child, Esther compensated it with experience and passion. "Oh, dear. I'm gonna blow my load inside a child!" Belle didn't mind at all. After all she did get a share of his seed. Esther also had a mind-blowing orgasm. The three made passionate love until dawn so much, that they were still naked when they woke up the next morning.

* * *

"Hey guys, are you awa-ugh! My goodness!" Jason was surprised when he saw the two naked, and rolled his eyes when he saw Esther's head popping out of the sheets greeting him a good morning, at the couple's feet. NAKED.

"Have some decency, Jason. Close the door. We'll dress up in a jiffy." Ned groggily said

Esther smiled at Jason and giggled as if she were a child.

"I think I had too much vodka last night." Jason groaned as he waited for the three to suit up. He also threw up on the spot.

"Celebrating last night, huh?" Ned asked.

"Same to you three." Jason answered back.

"We'll take the outpost for you. You are in no condition to fight." Belle said.

"Thanks." Jason said and then threw up again.

Sometimes, even people become wild beasts.


	4. Imprisoned

**Very sorry for the late upload as the computer I'm working on had technical issues due to a brown-out, and it took a long time to fix it, but thank God now that it is fixed and I am able to finish this story. Have a good read!**

* * *

Chapter 3-Imprisoned

Afternoon, The Pirate's Cove

Vaas was raving and ranting about the recent events that happened: Jason's escape, the loss of two outposts, and decreasing profits. His twisted mind always thought to turn things in his favor. He then turned to his "favorite" prisoner, Liza Snow.

"Bring that bitch here NOW!" Vaas screamed at his men.

"Yes sir." The two men in red complied.

Soon afterward, a girl with auburn hair and brown eyes entered in shackles.

"I swear to God, you'll die before you dare touch me!" Liza said between sobs.

"I'm not gonna touch you, I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

Another prisoner, a blonde boy, entered Vaas's lair.

"AND HIM." Vaas pointed at Oliver.

"Dude, just chill, and relax man. Find your inner peace, dude."

"I'm gonna find my inner peace, man, I will. IF I SEE YOU BURNING LIKE A FUCKING CHARCOAL BRIQUETTE!" Vaas screamed point-blank at his face.

"Jason will save us. I know it." Liza intoned with hope.

"Jason, Jason, JASON! THAT MOTHERFUCKER! HE RUINS EVERYTHING I WORKED HARD FOR! HE KILLED MY MEN! I WILL KILL HIM!" Vaas screamed again.

* * *

Near Orphan Point, North Island

Jason and the three took a boat en route to Orphan Point. The boat was a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat or RHIB for short, with a pintle mount for weapons. Jason turned to Ned and pointed at the pintle mount.

"Ned, there is a Barrett .50 caliber rifle inside the gun crate. attach the sniper rifle to the mount and adjust the dope of the scope. Got it?"

"Okay."

"Belle, you take the wheel and drive the boat. Esther, since you know how to swim, you swim towards the rocks to check for snipers."

"I hear you."

" _Olgu nii._ "

"Okay, let's go."

The four then prepped the boat for the mission. This mission is a first for the three, and were determined not to fail. Jason thought if they didn't use stealth, he wouldn't need to worry, since there are no alarms on the out post.

* * *

Belle quickly turned off the engine as the group approached the guard post. Esther scanned the area with her binoculars with, coincidentally, the flag of Estonia, suggesting that Estonian arms may be used.

"Sniper, on the roof. Two skinnies, two shooters." Esther intoned.

"I see them." Ned confirmed as he pointed his Barrett at the enemy.

"Alright, fire away when ready." Jason commanded. Esther then swam towards the boatyard.

Ned then had a flashback from his ROTC days. He was harshly scolded by his instructor, who was a former Scout Ranger, for hesitating to fire his rifle at the two balloons being held precariously by his mate.

 _"What kind of soldier are you?! You little pussy! It's not so hard shooting at the two balloons!"_

 _"But sir, what if I miss and kill him, sir?"_

 _"Just make sure that if you miss, you won't kill him. IT'S THAT FUCKING EASY"_

Ned's mind was torn apart between making the shot and risk killing a person, and by hesitating to shoot, which will put the mission in jeopardy.

"Ned, Ned! Are you alright?" Belle called.

"Yeah, I think so."

Ned then aimed it steadily, breathing slowly, mind at ease but not losing focus (no-mind). He prayed that his bullet would hit only his target, and not one of his lovers.

Ned exhaled, and fired.

* * *

The shot hit the sniper, just below the hairline. In spite of the round being a .50 caliber bullet, it did not attract any attention since the rifle was using subsonic ammunition and the rifle was modified with a sound suppressor, in addition to Ned being in a considerable distance from the enemy.

Esther then knocked on the wooden boardwalk on the boatyard. A guard noticed the disturbance, and upon approaching it, was quickly dispatched by Esther, who hid his body under the boardwalk.

She then proceeded to take out the three remaining guards, using both a pistol and a throwing knife.

She then took out the two guards, armed with AK47s, with her silenced Glock pistol, then proceeded to throw a knife at a 'charger', the pirate light infantry armed with only a bolo knife.

"Phew, that was a close one." Ned thought.

"Alright." Jason called everyone's attention. "Everyone gather up ammo and supplies. We'll bed down here tonight."

Suddenly, Jason's phone rang. It was Dennis Rogers.

* * *

"Jason, I have great news for you. One of your friends is staying at the colonist's house, where Dr. Earnhardt lives. Do not worry. It is safe there. He will be waiting for you."

"What? Did he tell you which friend?"

"No, but we'll inform you when we hear more. Keep your head up, Jason. The tribe is very impressed with you three."

Dennis then hung up.

"Hey look at this, a chestful of money, a gold bar, and 3 M14 magazines." Belle spotted a loot chest.

"Okay, let's go back to the island, and find this Dr. Earnhardt.

And the three headed into the island, in their RHIB.

* * *

"Hey, Belle, I'll drive this time. You man the MG." Jason commanded. " Ned, you're on rear security. Esther, ride shotgun."

"Okay, let's get this show on the road!" The three said as they boarded the Humvee, a rare sight in the island.

The Humvee moved at a not-so-fast speed, while Belle scanned for pirates in the path. Jason took great care not to wreck the vehicle, which they bought with the loot money from the enemy. (The money and gold from the loot chest was sold and the money deposited at the store for safekeeping.) Belle took out only a few pirates with assault rifles,as there was not much heavy resistance was expected from them anyway.

They then arrived at the colonist's house, Doctor Earnhardt was at the front yard expecting them.

"Ah, you must be Jason Brody. Dennis told me all about you. Please, my name is Dr. Earnhardt."

Jason pointed to the three, introducing them. "This is Ned," Ned gave a salute. "Belle," Belle made a peace sign. "and Esther." Esther curtsied.

"Alright, shall we?" Dr. Earnhardt showed them in. "You must be hungry. I prepared some tea and sugar biscuits for you, just in case."

"Thank you." the four intoned.

* * *

The colonist's house was full of books, obviously owned by the doctor. The house was at least clean, if not very organized. The four were surprisingly relaxed while sitting on the couch, while watching news on television (which only aired five channels). Dr. Earnhardt called Jason's attention.

"Mr. Brody! You should come here quickly." the doctor beckoned.

"What is it?" Jason asked, "You three, stay here."

"Sure, no problem." Ned replied.

"Oh, and Mr. Earnhardt, may I use your kitchen? I'm going to cook something for the five of us." Esther asked the doctor's permission, which he then replied "Do you know how to cook?"

"I should be, I _am_ a lady..." Esther said, "I'm not getting any younger, or bigger. _Kehv mind._ " Esther nodded with disappointment.

"Well, just keep it clean, alright?" the doctor then conceded.

"I will. Ladies _are_ the epitome of cleanliness and order." Esther said with a smile.

"Phew, at least she didn't blow her own cover. She almost pulled a _kamikaze_ on us." Belle whispered to Ned.

"Esther!" Ned eyes widened as he stared at her, to which she smiled back.

* * *

Near the mansion, North Island

"Snow White, this is Bravo 2. Subjects are confirmed to be in the mansion. How copy over?" A man with a pair of binoculars and an Accuracy International AS50 sniper rifle spoke into his radio.

"Just keep sending traffic and pick off any hostiles. This is the first action I've seen on this island since the ceasefire. Damn Jap hippies." The man on the other side replied.

True, the Japanese did broker the ceasefire, but the fragile peace was broken after Jason's escape from Vaas's camp.

The civil war started in the '80s during the Falklands dispute. The Argentinian Government secretly sold arms to the local pirates and foreign drug lords in an attempt to destabilize Britain's allies, as Rook Island was under nominal British protectorate status. The pirates and drug lords, with the necessary stimulus package from the Argentine government, then wreaked havoc and triggered the ire of the Rakyat Liberation Army, also fighting against the British administration.

Later on, the Americans began supporting the Rakyat independence movement by secretly sending military and civilian advisors, intelligence officers, weapons, crack troops, technicians and engineers and humanitarian aid to the villages and towns.

This provoked the anger of both the British Military Intelligence and the Argentine Government, the former launching covert attacks on the communications installations and major thoroughfares all over the islands, the latter declaring war on the United States and siding with the Soviet Union.

After the Cold War, in order not to cause any scandal or provoke military action, the two countries halted their assistance to the local warlords and, two decades later, signed the Concorde of Peace brokered by Japan. The Japanese made a very sensible choice of being a mediator of peace, as it is in their culture to give the soldiers who died in Rook Island in WWII a proper burial, and also to repatriate any survivors. It also boosted Japan's popularity on the world's stage as a peacemaker and also, as a result, improved the lives of the locals, but not for long...

The man who spied on the group was a member of the CIA Special Activities Division, a group formed during the Cold War. His particular unit, led by "Snow White" facilitated the safe withdrawal of Japanese peacekeeper troops from the area, leaving behind their South African-made patrol sedans shortly after the breaking of the truce.

He continued to spy on the group when he spotted a small party of pirates dangerously close to the mansion. He then turned on his radio and contacted "Snow White".

"I detected an enemy patrol, one armed with a machine gun, the other a sniper rifle. Permission to engage, over."

"This is Snow White. You're cleared to proceed." the man on the radio replied.

The man with the binoculars then switched to his rifle, which was designed to take out distant targets without attracting any attention to the hostiles. He bagged all six of them with his rifle.

* * *

After talking to the doctor about Grant's girlfriend and her misadventure, he offered to find the missing item for the antidote. Daisy Lee, Grant's girlfriend, cut herself while running across a field of _Antiaris toxicaria_ , or upas trees, which have a poisonous latex. Jason walked down the stairs to find the mushrooms for the antidote.

"You three, stay here. I'm gonna get something for the doctor. You can help whip up dinner if you like." Jason instructed.

"Hey, it's cool. We're fine here. Esther's already making chow. Just be careful out there, yo." Ned replied as he watched an Argentinian drama with English subtitles.

"NOOOOOO! Alberto! Don't go to war!" Belle screamed while watching her favorite soap, which coincidentally was on air.

"SSSSHHHH! The pirates might hear us." Ned admonished.

"We'll be fine." Ned assured.

* * *

"What the hell is going on? Doctor Earnhardt?" Daisy woke up, still disoriented by the poison's effects.

"Yes, anything?"

"What's the racket downstairs? Are there pirates?"

"They're the least of your concern. They are Jason Brody's friends. One of them even had the kindness to whip up a nice dinner."

"Jason's here? Well Grant must be with him."

"I don't know, only Jason and his friends went here."

"I'm going downstairs to take a look."

"No, Agnes." the doctor called her with his grand-daughter's name. "You must rest."

Doctor Earnhardt once lived in London, as a well-known psychiatrist whose clients include British Army veterans from the Gulf War, some of whom are now with the pirates. His grand-daughter, Agnes, fell out of the window while he was on his office treating one of his patients. By the time he got to her, it was too late. Agnes died, and was given a funeral paid for by one of the patients' families, whose son fully recovered from PTSD, as a gesture of gratitude.

With the doctor now alone, as Agnes's parents also died in the Gulf War, he packed his bags and went abroad, settling first in New Zealand, then moving on to the Rook Islands.

* * *

Evening, Sunset Cove, Southern Rook Island

"Hey, Evaristo! Move the projector here! I want it to look big, like a cinema."

"Okay, Jacques."

The two pirates were ordered to prepare the prison by Vaas. Jacques, a former Legionnaire, instructed the pirates to set up the projectors and the cells.

"The boss wants the effects to be spectacular for our new arrival."

"Yes, boss."

"Fool, I'm not the boss, I'm just the OIC (officer-in-charge) here."

The pirates brought in an Asian black bear and a Sumatran tiger and locked them up in a cage, for intimidation.

They were expecting somebody.

They won't have to wait long...


	5. Guardian Angel

Chapter 4-Guardian Angel

Esther was almost finishing making dinner when the phone rang. Dr. Earnhardt answered the phone.

"Hello, is Jason there?" a low-pitched garbled voice inquired.

"No, I sent him on an errand. He might be going late."

"Good. Hand it over to Ned."

"What for?"

"JUST DO IT!"

Dr. Earnhardt handed over the cordless phone to Ned who was cleaning his M14.

"Hello, this is Ned. How may I help you?"

"Listen very carefully. I need you to leave the house immediately. It's not going to be safe there for long. I will wait you at the bottom of the hill."

"I don't know if I can trust you. I just shot some pirates lately. Maybe YOU were one of them."

"Please, I'm serious. I'm telling the truth. Look out the south window. Use your binos."

Ned looked. He saw a man wearing roughly the same outfit as him. It was Belle's long lost uncle whom she showed him pictures of the man.

"Challenge will be Dido, countersign is Gorgon."

"Alright. By the way, what is going on exactly?"

"I'll tell you when you arrive. Snow White out."

Ned returned the phone.

"Come on guys, let's get out of here. It's not safe here." Ned warned the other two.

"But I'm almost done making dinner." Esther replied

"Alright. Just finish that, pack your bags and then get the hell outta dodge."

"Okay." The two agreed.

* * *

Three hours later, near Dr. Earnhardt's mansion

Jason arrived with the mushrooms needed for the cure, when suddenly, the house was quiet. No sign of the three can be found. He scurried into the greenhouse to look for them, but all he saw was Dr. Earnhardt having a session with his "red ones".

"Dr. Earnhardt, where are my three friends?"

"They left in a hurry. They left a note, however."

Jason took the note and read it. It was Belle's impeccable handwriting.

 **Jason, We have to leave in a hurry because something bad is going to happen if we stay there. The man on the phone told us so. Don't worry. He knows my uncle, whom I thought was lost forever. Anyway we are safe here where we are staying.**

 **Yours truly,**

 **Belle.**

The note continued on with less refined handwriting. It was certainly Esther's.

 **P.S. I left you some piiraka for dinner. On the table.**

It would be better that way, Jason thought. But he was also worried that they might get hurt.

"Well, they said they're gonna be okay. They even brought along their weapons and comms." Jason let out a sigh of relief.

* * *

West side of North Island, Rook Islands

"Dido." A voice called out.

"Gorgon." Ned answered.

"Let's take you to the base. We'll take the closed van, so for secrecy reasons, but don't worry. We won't tie you up and gag you. We even have TV inside." the man in military gear said.

"Cool."

"Okay, man. Let's get you to our CO. He'll ping you about what is happening in Rook Island. You can carry your gear with you."

"Alright."

The three then went in the modified container van. The man kept his word.

* * *

Special Activities Division Headquarters, Unknown location

"We will bring you to the office to meet our boss. He's upstairs." The man told the three friends.

"Oh, and though I am not allowed to disclose the location of the base, I can tell you this, that this facility is built inside a giant ship." He added.

"Doesn't look like a ship." Esther quipped.

With all the high tech equipment the facility had, as well as crisply-dressed staff, the advanced facility doesn't fit in well with the impoverished surroundings of the Rook Islands.

"You're late."

A man in his late 40s, dressed in a white unbuttoned shirt, blue tee and a gold chain on his neck, appeared from threshold of the automatic doors of his office.

"Willis Huntley, CIA. Pleasure to meet you." He offers his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too." Ned shook his hand.

"Please, have a seat." Mr. Huntley ushered the three.

"What is going on is a major problem for the stability islands. The Republic..."

"What republic? I thought Citra was the leader of the 'kingdom'." Belle interrupted.

"Exactly." Huntley nodded. "How did you find out?"

"Well, this 'brother' (slang term for a black man) named Dennis Rogers kept blabbering about her, about marrying her, and ruling the kingdom. That dude even gave us these." Ned showed the tattoos.

"We'll have to remove them. Without needles, of course." Huntley raised the electric tattoo remover. "This, and the chemical tretinoin will remove your tattoos and return your skin's natural beauty."

"Thank God." Belle exclaimed. "Finally, no evidence."

"Now where was I? The Republic of Rook Islands is the only legitimate government of the nation-state. The President, Enoch Duhamelle, pardon my French, was assassinated by a group of natives called..."

"Wait, let me guess, the Rakyat?" Esther interrupted.

"Good guess, little girl." Huntley smiled.

"So, Jason apparently is the enemy? Is Dennis the enemy?"

"No, and yes. Jason Brody, whom I have yet to meet, is a potential ally and asset. I know he won't betray The Land of the Free and Home of the Brave, right?"

"Yeah." Belle nodded.

"You betcha. Dennis however, is on number 25 on the Wanted list. He assisted Citra Talugmai, number 19 Most Wanted, in guerrilla operations against the democratically elected government, and after Hoyt's arrival, against both pirates and privateers." Huntley pointed on the PowerPoint presentation.

"Wait, who's Hoyt?" Esther inquired.

"Hoyt Volker, number 18 on the Most Wanted list. Psychopath, greedy and calculating. His lap-dog Vaas Montenegro, 20 was Citra's brother, but there was a falling out. We have an SOG operative within the Privateer ranks. Samuel Fairburne Becker, German- American. Lost contact during one of our ops." Huntley switched the slides of his presentation.

"So, Vaas is fighting against his sister? So much for sibling rivalry." Ned quipped.

"Citra's associates, Francis Kalakaua, number 21, and James Taunui, number 22, are what is left of Citra's 'chief of staff' as you might call it."

"So, what now?" Ned asked.

Suddenly, a man in a black suit came with a touch-screen tablet.

"Sir, something's wrong. The Rakyat have hijacked a boat filled with tourists." The man synced his tablet to the projector. "They are now taking hostages."

"OH MY GOD..." Belle went into a fit of tears, seeing that her family is taken hostage.

"NOOOOOO!" Esther went berserk, erupting into a violent rage that Ned had to restrain her.

"Esther, stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop." Ned whispered as tears welled up his eyes too.

Huntley was silent. He looked down, and turned to to the man in black.

"We have to do something." He looked at him

"Shall I call the SOG teams, sir?" The man in black inquired.

"SOG, the SEALs, JSOC, the Foreign Legion, ANYONE IN OUR AO!" Huntley screamed.

"I'll give the word, sir." The man nodded, and shuffled away.

"What now, sir?" Ned looked at Mr. Huntley with tear-soaked eyes.

"Kill Citra, Dennis, Francis, James, Vaas, Volker, everyone. Bring your families home." Huntley intoned as he brandished his AMT Hardballer pistol.

* * *

The SOG teams, Delta Force operatives,SEALS, Marine Spec Ops teams, Ned, Belle, Esther, and Huntley boarded the two C-130s and Seaknights as they was preparing to take off. Alarms were sounding to alert everyone to muster for battle. The three soon realized that they were taking off the mega-carrier USS _Columbiad_ , two miles from Northern Island's shores.

"Phase one of the op is to extract hostages from Badtown. Cruise missiles will launch EMP rockets into the islands so turn off all electronics prior to landing. LVTPs will be on standby for exfil. Phase two will be led by Ned, callsign 'Archer'. We will attack both Rakyat and pirate forces. We will also secure Amanaki Town. Jason Brody will be in the area. Challenge is 'Saipan', countersign is 'Banzai'. Watch your fire. Phase three will be to push south into Privateer territory. Sam Becker, callsign 'Jackal' will give the order to attack. Eliminate enemy personnel, and retrieve actionable intel. " Huntley spoke to the soldiers inside the plane and through the video-chat module.

* * *

AM12 Radio Station, North Island

A thunderstorm was brewing, and both the pirates and the Rakyat soldiers were resting.

"We will rid this place of pirates, Citra promised." One of the Rakyat soldiers intoned.

"Hey, look at that. What is that thing?" Another soldier looked up as he curiously observed the flying object.

"Nah, must be some stupid plane. In this thunderstorm, they're in for it." The former intoned.

As the sky thundered, the lights and radios of the Rakyat outpost went off.

"Hey, who turned out the lights? _E kanga tenei._ " The latter complained.

"The radio's off too."

"What's that noise?"

Just before they realized it, the outpost was shredded to pieces by the Gatling guns of the helicopters carrying MARSOC operatives, who secured a beach-head.

Meanwhile, the SEAL teams parachuted in the Northern sector of the Murder Summit region, securing trucks and jeeps for delivery of the hostages to the coast.

The Delta Force teams were dropped into six strategic sectors: Churchtown, the Tequila Sunrise outpost, the AM12 radio station, Cradle View, Camp Murder, and the Old Mines. Their mission: To eliminate hostile elements to prevent any threat to the rescue.

The SOG teams, with Ned, Belle, and Esther were the ones tasked to secure the town and the hostages.

Navy cruisers and carrier planes were on standby for the duration of the op to launch long-range missiles should anything go wrong during the mission. Predator drones were also deployed to seek and destroy key targets but only if designated by Huntley's team, to ensure zero collateral damage.

* * *

SOG Operative Codename Hermes, Murder Summit Radio Tower, North Island

"Sir, I'm reading multiple threats down in your AO, what are the rules of engagement, sir?" 'Hermes' asked over the radio.

"We strike only when it is dark so we can go for maximum damage without harming any civilians." Huntley replied.

"Copy, sir. Deploying recon drone." 'Hermes' launched a smaller version of the Predator drone to observe targets.

'Hermes' then switched channels to contact the SEALS.

"Fox One, do you read, over?"

"I read you, we're knee-deep in mud but we're still combat effective, over."

"Proceed to target location as planned, over."

"Roger that, out."

"Fox Two, are you still combat effective, over?"

"Affirmative."

'Hermes' switched channels to the Delta Force teams.

"All Delta Force teams, secure the key strategic points so that the trucks can pass through safely. Secure the route and watch for stragglers."

"Copy, out."

* * *

Navy Stealth Cruiser USS _The_ _Philippines,_ Off the Coast of the Rook Islands.

"Officer on deck!" a man's voice can be heard as everyone in the office stood in attention.

"Carry on." the Captain intoned.

The commodore then stood to say something.

"Gentlemen, this op will guarantee the recognition of a new nation forged in democracy, but also ensure the safety of the lives of American citizens abroad. As a gesture of support, the Philippine, Singaporean and the Australian Air Force already have fighter planes on standby for ground attack at the USS _Columbiad_. We will show the world that we are not bloodthirsty savages. We are a civilized people and a bulwark of democracy. God bless the men on the ground."

"Aye, sir." The Australian Lieutenant agreed, and the others nodded.

"Sir, what happens when this is all over?" The Philippine Captain inquired.

"We'll have a press conference _only_ after the operation succeeds." the American Captain replied.

"Who will take charge of security, sir?" The Singaporean Lieutenant then asked.

"We will. Singapore and the Philippines will take hold of the North, while we and Australia hold the South. Until the nation-state can form its own defence force, we will remain to provide security and train the future defence forces. Is that clear?"

"Aye..." All nodded in agreement.

* * *

Evening, Dr. Earnhardt's Mansion

After checking on Daisy, Jason went down for a rain check. A thunderstorm brewed just hours before. There was a blackout which startled even the inebriate doctor.

"Sir, what happened to the lights?" Jason said as he approached the doctor.

"Must be the lightning." Dr. Earnhardt replied. "Follow me to the generator. We'll turn on the backup power. By the way, did you turn off your cellphone and tablet?"

"Yeah, 'cause it becomes a dead giveaway when it makes beeping sounds. Why?"

"Lightning storms produce an electromagnetic pulse which can temporarily disable or, in most cases, permanently destroy electronic equipment. The Rakyat don't know that."

"You're a chemist, sir. How did you know that?"

"Chemistry's my minor course actually. I am actually the head of a team of electronics experts working with the British Telecommunications Office back then. Until Agnes..."

"I'm sorry for your loss, sir."

"Thank you. It's hard for a person to let go of their loved ones. Especially when you realize that they will never return."

"I understand."

"Ah, the generator. Jason, pull the starter so we can turn on the backup power."

Jason then started the generator after which the doctor opened the breaker box and engaged the switch, restoring the power back into the mansion.

Suddenly there was a knocking on the door, and Jason drew a pistol as he followed Dr. Earnhardt.

"Find a good place to hide." The doctor intoned.

When Dr. Earnhardt opened the door, a man in forest camouflage fatigues and boonie hat armed with an M4A1 rifle, identifying himself as a Singaporean soldier, appeared.

"Saipan! Where is Mr. Jason Braddock-I mean Brody?"

"Banzai! I'm here." Jason appeared from the kitchen door. "What do you want?"

"We have launched an operation to take over the islands from the enemy. I'm here to confirm your position."

"There's a blackout, and we don't have a radio. How-" Dr. Earnhardt said to the soldier, only to be interrupted by Daisy.

"What the hell is going on?" entered Daisy, who was frightened by the sight of a man outside the door that she ran back inside and stumbled. The man walked closer to her.

"Don't kill me please." she mumbled.

"Are you hurt, madam? Please stand up." The soldier stretched his hand towards her. He helped Daisy up as she was collecting her wits.

"What about Ned, Belle and the little kid?" Jason asked with worry.

"They're safe, sir." was all the soldier could say. He was not authorized to disclose their situation, but he was allowed to declare their safety.

For a good reason.


End file.
